posted Sep 24th, 2016 - The Sun Path Products NSL News started the aftermath of the battle for the 3rd place in 4-way Open at the Mondial 2016 with the winner of the bronze medals, France.

This was not a big surprise, as the online audience expected the French 4-way Open Class team to finish behind NMP PCH HayaBusa and Arizona Airspeed. Russia's national team Black Cat was also in a finishing position that matched the forecast.

There was one team though that did not agree with the forecast of the bronze medal battle and changed the ranking order. The bronze medalist of 2014, Evolution with the new lineup, was expected in 5th place behind Black Cat and had to accept that the Qatar Tigers finished 12 points ahead after ten rounds.

FAI Mondial 2016			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Total	Avg
Rank	4-way Open		12,A,16	18,15,O	1,F,E,C	17,B,14	10,2,20	21,11,G	J,5,19	L,M,K,7	D,8,4	3,13,Q	Total	Avg
3	France	FR	21	20	30(-1)	21(-3)	18	21	27	39	21	20	238	23.8
4	Black Cat	RU	22	20(-1)	30	24(-1)	17	21	24	33(-1)	21	19	231	23.1
5	Qatar Tigers	QA	21	20	30(-1)	24	17	20	23(-1)	36	17(-2)	18	226	22.6
6	Evolution	CA	20	18	29	24	16	18	23	32	18(-1)	16(-1)	214	21.4
7	Satori XL	UK	18(-2)	19	27	24	16	18	22	30	18	18	210	21.0

It was not only the placing that made the Qatar Tigers the "Team of the Meet". The Tigers were the only team in the Top 5 rankings who finished with the highest average in team history. All other Top 5 teams had scored higher at other previous meets.

The Qatar Tigers had finished with a 21.5 average at the World Air Games in December 2015 and came back with a 21.6 average in March 2016 at the Shamrock Showdown. The 22.6 at the FAI Mondial 2016 is a significant improvement, and the performance level at Skydive Chicago kept the Qatar Tigers in bronze medal contention throughout Round 6.

In fact, the Tigers were one point ahead of France (132 - 131) after Round 6 and one point behind Black Cat.

The Qatar Tigers started with coach Solly Williams in 2011, before former NMP PCH HayaBusa member Luc Verstrepen carefully moved the team up to world class level between 2012 and 2015.

Jeremie Rollett, former French 4-way and 8-way world champion and national coach, started working with the Qatar Tigers in 2015 and has finally guided the team into bronze medal contention at a World Championship of Formation Skydiving, where the Tigers challenged their coach's former members of his French national teams.

It was only a bronze medal threat at the FAI Mondial 2016, which could turn into even more if the Tigers continue with the same progression in the next two years...